Exploring New York City

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Exploring

New York City

D

on’t try to tame New York—you can’t. Decide on a few must-see attractions, and then let the city take you on its own ride. Inevitably, as you make your way around the city, you’ll be blown off course by unplanned diversions that are just as much fun as what you meant to see. After all, the true New York is in the details. As you dash from sight to sight, take time to admire a lovely cornice on a prewar building, linger over a cup of coffee at a sidewalk cafe, or just idle away a few minutes on a bench watching New Yorkers parade through their daily lives.

1 The Top Attractions

American Museum of Natural History This is one of

the hottest museum tickets in town, thanks to the $210 million Rose Center for Earth and Space , whose four-story-tall plane-tarium sphere hosts the excellent Harrison Ford–narrated Space Show, “Are We Alone?,” the most technologically advanced sky show on the planet. Prepare to be blown away. The show is short— less than a half-hour from start to finish—but phenomenal.

Buy your tickets in advance for the Space Show in order to guarantee admission (they’re available online); you can also buy tickets in advance for a specific IMAX film or special exhibition, such as the Butterfly Conservatory, which I recommend. Otherwise, you might miss out.

Start your tour of the museum at the Rose Center with the Space Show. Afterwards, follow the wondrous interactive Cosmic Pathway, which spirals around the sphere and down to the main level, chron-icling the 15-billion-year evolution. Other must-sees include the Big Bang Theater, which re-creates the theoretical birth of the uni-verse; the main Hall of the Universe, with its very own 151_⁄

2-ton

meteorite; and the terrific Hall of Planet Earth, which focuses on

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the geologic processes of our home planet (great volcano display!). All in all, you’ll need a minimum of 2 hours to fully explore the Rose Center. Tip: Friday night is a great time to plan your visit, as the center isn’t overcrowded, live jazz and food fill the Hall of the Universe, and, bathed in blue light, the sphere looks magical.

The rest of the 4-square-block museum is nothing to sneeze at, either. If you only see one exhibit, see the dinosaurs , which take up the entire fourth floor; or take a highlights tour, offered daily every hour at 15 minutes after the hour from 10:15am to 3:15pm. The museum excels at special exhibitions, so check to see what will be on while you’re in town in case any advance planning is required.

Central Park West (btwn 77th and 81 sts.).&212/769-5100 for information, or

212/769-5200 for tickets (tickets can also be ordered online). www.amnh.org. Sug-gested admission $10 adults, $7.50 seniors and students, $6 children 2–12. Space Show and museum admission $19 adults, $14 seniors and students, $11.50 children under 12. Additional charges for IMAX movies and some special exhibitions. Daily 10am–5:45pm; Rose Center open Fri to 8:45pm. Subway: B, C to 81st St.; 1, 9 to 79th St.

Brooklyn Bridge Its Gothic-inspired stone pylons

and intricate steel-cable webs have moved poets like Walt Whitman and Hart Crane to sing the praises of this great span, the first to cross the East River and connect Manhattan to Brooklyn. Begun in 1867 and ultimately completed in 1883, the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge is now the city’s best-known symbol of the age of growth that

Moments

T H E T O P A T T R A C T I O N S 121

Money- & Time-Saving Tip

CityPass just may be New York’s best sightseeing deal. Pay one price ($38, or $31 for kids 12–17) for admission to seven major Big Apple attractions: The American Museum of Natural His-tory (admission only; does not include Space Show); the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; the Empire State Building; the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum; the Whitney Museum of American Art; MoMA QNS (the Museum of Modern Art’s tem-porary home while it undergoes renovation); and a 2-hour Circle Line harbor cruise. If you purchased admission ticket by ticket, you’d spend more than twice as much. More important, CityPass contains actual admission tickets, not coupons, so you can bypass lengthy ticket lines.

For more information call CityPass at & 707/256-0490 or visit www.citypass.net.

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122 Tompkins Square Park Washington Square Park Battery Park City South Gardens East River Park Williamsburg Bridge M an ha_tta n B rid_ge Battery Park Holland Tunnel Brook lyn Br_idge City Hall Park Vietnam Veterans Plaza Pier 6 Pier 16 Pier 17 Bro okly n-B atte_ry Tun nel Ea st R iv er B R O O K L Y N H u d so n R iv e r E a st R iv e_r Union Square World Financial Center World Trade Center Site W. 13th St. E. 13th St W. 12th St. Little W. 12th St. W. 11th St. B ro ad_w ay Sixth Ave. Fifth Ave Un iv ers it y P l. W av erly Pl. W. 12 th St. Bethu ne St. Ganse voort S t. Horat io St. Jane S t. Ble eck_er Gre_en wic_h A ve. Eig hth Ave . W . 4_th St. Char les Barrow Chris toph er W. 1 0th St . Bank W. 1 1th St. Perry Morton Leroy W. 10th St. W. 9th St. E. 9th St. W. 8th St. E. 8th St. Waverly Pl. W. 15th St. E. 15th W. 14th St. E. 14th St E. 11th St. Second Ave. Third Ave. Fo u rth_A ve_. First Ave. E. 10th St. E. 9th St. Wanamaker Stuyvesant

La Gu a rdia S u lli van Th o m p son Bleecker M a cD o u g a l E. 6th St. E. 5th St. E. 4th St. E. 3rd St. E. 2nd St. E. 1st St. W. 3rd St. E. 7th St. Car min e Dow ning Waverly Pl. Washington Pl. St. Mark’s Pl. Astor P l La fa ye tt e W. 4th St. Gt. Jones Bond H u_d so_n W. Houst on King G re en_w ic_h S_t. W ash in_g to n Clarkson Canal Vestry Laight Watts Desbrosse s Charlton

Vandam Spring

Franklin G re en_w ic_h S t. H u_d so n Harrison Hubert N. Moore Beach Jay Chambers Warren Duane V ar_ic k _St. S e ve n th A ve . S . Bed_ford Gro ve Jone s Cor nelia Dominick Broome W es t S t. Commerce S_ix th A ve. Vesey Reade Murray Park Pl. Barclay Duane Worth Franklin Leonard Lispenard Walker G re ene Broome Grand W . B roa d wa y W . Bro a d wa y Prince Spring Canal Wo o st er Reade E. Houston White Thomas Bro ad w ay Me rce r E liz a_b e th E liz_a b_e th B o w e ry A lle n Fo rs yth E ld rid g e Hester Canal Division Lafa ye tte M u lb_e rr y B a xt e r C e n tr e Co rt lan dt M u lb e rr y M o tt Bayard B o_w e ry Delancey Kenmare C ro sb y Howard Rivington Liberty Chambers B roa dw ay C h ry st ie Henr y Mad ison C ath eri_ne Pea rl M o tt Cortlandt Liberty Spru_ce Beek_man Cedar Albany N ass a u T rin it y P l. G re_e n w ic_h Cedar Pine Maiden Platt Robert F. Wagne_{r Pl.} Frank_fort Dover Wat er Wat er Clif f Fro nt Fletcher John Bee_km an Fro nt Sou th Sou th S tree t V iad uct Fult_on C h u rch John Ann Rector So_u th E_n d A ve_. Morris J.P. Ward Carlisle B a tt e ry P l. W. Thames Rector Pl. 1st Pl. 2nd Pl. Battery P l. N e w B o w lin g G re e n Will iam Maid_en Park Row Bridge Beaver Stone Exchange Pl.Wall St. W hit_eh all Bro ad Pear l Sta_te S. William E. 14th St E. 12th St. Ave. A A lle_n E ss_e x E ss e_x Lu_d lo w O rc_h a rd Canal Broome Grand E. Houston Stanton S_u ffo_lk N o rf o_lk P itt Ave. D A ve . C E. 15th St. A ve . B C lin to_n A tt o rn e y R id g e B a ru ch P_l. M a n g in S zo ld P l. C o_lu m b ia E. Bro adwa y Mon roe Sout h Wate r Cherr y M ar_ke t B ia ly -sto k e r New FDR Dr. Delancey Ja_ck so_n G ou ve_rn eu_r Gouv Slip Front Water A K_a za_n Lew is Cher ry W ille_t Ru tg ers Pik_e Pik e S_lip Ru_tg ers Slip M on t-go_m ery C lin to_n Je_ffe rso_n East River Dr. WEST VILLAGE TRIBECA FINANCIAL DISTRICT CHINATOWN LITTLE ITALY EAST VILLAGE SOHO LOWER EAST SIDE NOHO NOLITA GREENWICH VILLAGE ALPHABET CITY Washington Square Park Battery Park City South Gardens Battery Park Holland Tunnel City Hall Park Vietnam Veterans Plaza Pier 6 Pier 16 Pier 17 Brooklyn-Batte ry Tunnel Hudson River Union Square World Financial Center World Trade Center Site W. 13th St. E. 13th St W. 12th St. Little W. 12th St. W. 11th St. Broadway Sixth Ave.

Fifth Ave University Pl. Waverly Pl. W. 12th St. Bethune St. Gansevoort St. Horatio St. Jane St. Bleecker Greenwich Ave. Eighth Ave. W. 4th St. Charles Barrow Christopher W. 10th St . Bank W. 11th St. Perry Morton Leroy W. 10th St. W. 9th St. E. 9th St. W. 8th St. E. 8th St. Waverly Pl. W. 15th St. E. 15th W. 14th St. E. 14th St E. 11th St. Second Ave. Third Ave. Fourth Ave. First Ave. E. 10th St. E. 9th St. Wanamaker Stuyvesant La Guardia Sullivan Thompson Bleecker MacDougal E. 6th St. E. 5th St. E. 4th St. E. 3rd St. E. 2nd St. E. 1st St. W. 3rd St. E. 7th St. Carmine Downing Waverly Pl. Washington Pl. St. Mark’s Pl. Astor PlLafayette W. 4th St. Gt. Jones Bond Hudson W. HoustonKingGreenwich St. Washington Clarkson Canal Vestry Laight Watts Desbrosses Charlton Vandam Spring Franklin Greenwich St. Hudson Harrison Hubert N. Moore Beach Jay Chambers Warren Duane Varick St. Seventh Ave . S. Bedford Grove Jones Cornelia Dominick Broome West St. Commerce Sixth Ave. Vesey Reade Murray Park Pl. Barclay Duane Worth Franklin Leonard Lispenard Walker Greene Broome Grand W. Broadway W. Broadway Prince Spring Canal Wooster Reade E. Houston White Thomas Broadway Mercer Elizabeth Elizabeth Bowery Allen Forsyth Eldridge Hester Canal Division Lafayette Mulberry Baxter Centre Cortlandt Mulberry Mott Bayard Bowery Delancey Kenmare Crosby Howard Rivington Liberty Chambers Broadway Chrystie Henry Madison Catherine Pearl Mott Cortlandt Liberty Spruce Beekman Cedar Albany Nassau Trinity Pl. Greenwich Cedar Pine Maiden Platt Robert F. Wagner Pl. Frankfort Dover Water Water Cliff Front FletcherJohn Beekman Front South South Street Viaduct Fulton Church

John Ann

Rector South End Ave.

Morris J.P. Ward Carlisle Battery Pl. W. Thames Rector Pl. 1st Pl. 2nd Pl. Battery Pl. New Bowling Green William Maiden Park Row Bridge Beaver Stone Exchange Pl. Wall St.

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Tompkins Square Park Washington Square Park Battery Park City South Gardens East River Park Williamsburg Bridge M an ha_tta n B rid_ge Battery Park Holland Tunnel Brook lyn Br_idge City Hall Park Vietnam Veterans Plaza Pier 6 Pier 16 Pier 17 Bro okly n-B atte_ry Tun nel Ea st R iv er B R O O K L Y N H u d so n R iv e r E a st R iv e_r Union Square World Financial Center World Trade Center Site W. 13th St. E. 13th St W. 12th St. Little W. 12th St. W. 11th St. B ro ad_w ay Sixth Ave. Fifth Ave Un iv ers it y P l. W av erly Pl. W. 12 th St. Bethu ne St. Ganse voort S t. Horat io St. Jane S t. Ble eck_er Gre_en wic_h A ve. Eig hth Ave . W . 4_th St. Char les Barrow Chris toph er W. 1 0th St . Bank W. 1 1th St. Perry Morton Leroy W. 10th St. W. 9th St. E. 9th St. W. 8th St. E. 8th St. Waverly Pl. W. 15th St. E. 15th W. 14th St. E. 14th St E. 11th St. Second Ave. Third Ave. Fo u rth_A ve_. First Ave. E. 10th St. E. 9th St.

Wanamaker Stuyvesant

La Gu a rdia S u lli van Th o m p son Bleecker M a cD o u g a l E. 6th St. E. 5th St. E. 4th St. E. 3rd St. E. 2nd St. E. 1st St. W. 3rd St. E. 7th St. Car min e Dow ning Waverly Pl. Washington Pl. St. Mark’s Pl. Astor P l La fa ye tt e W. 4th St. Gt. Jones Bond H u_d so_n W. Houst on King G re en_w ic_h S_t. W ash in_g to n Clarkson Canal Vestry Laight Watts Desbrosse s Charlton

Vandam Spring

Franklin G re en_w ic_h S t. H u_d so n Harrison Hubert N. Moore Beach Jay Chambers Warren Duane V ar_ic k _St. S e ve n th A ve . S . Bed_ford Gro ve Jone s Cor nelia Dominick Broome W es t S t. Commerce S_ix th A ve. Vesey Reade Murray Park Pl. Barclay Duane Worth Franklin Leonard Lispenard Walker G re ene Broome Grand W . B roa d wa y W . Bro a d wa y Prince Spring Canal Wo o st er Reade E. Houston White Thomas Bro ad w ay Me rce r E liz a_b e th E liz_a b_e th B o w e ry A lle n Fo rs yth E ld rid g e Hester Canal Division Lafa ye tte M u lb_e rr y B a xt e r C e n tr e Co rt lan dt M u lb e rr y M o tt Bayard B o_w e ry Delancey Kenmare C ro sb y Howard Rivington Liberty Chambers B roa dw ay C h ry st ie Henr y Mad ison C ath eri_ne Pea rl M o tt Cortlandt Liberty Spru_ce Beek_man Cedar Albany N ass a u T rin it y P l. G re_e n w ic_h Cedar Pine Maiden Platt Robert F. Wagne_{r Pl.} Frank_fort Dover Wat er Wat er Clif f Fro nt Fletcher John Bee_km an Fro nt Sou th Sou th S tree t V iad uct Fult_on C h u rch John Ann Rector So_u th E_n d A ve_. Morris J.P. Ward Carlisle B a tt e ry P l. W. Thames Rector Pl. 1st Pl. 2nd Pl. Battery P l. N e w B o w lin g G re e n Will iam Maid_en Park Row Bridge Beaver Stone Exchange Pl.Wall St. W hit_eh all Bro ad Pear l Sta_te S. William E. 14th St E. 12th St. Ave. A A lle_n E ss_e x E ss e_x Lu_d lo w O rc_h a rd Canal Broome Grand E. Houston Stanton S_u ffo_lk N o rf o_lk P itt Ave. D A ve . C E. 15th St. A ve . B C lin to_n A tt o rn e y R id g e B a ru ch P_l. M a n g in S zo ld P l. C o_lu m b ia E. Bro adwa y Mon roe Sout h Wate r Cherr y M ar_ke t B ia ly -sto k e r New FDR Dr. Delancey Ja_ck so_n G ou ve_rn eu_r Gouv Slip Front Water A K_a za_n Lew is Cher ry W ille_t Ru tg ers Pik_e Pik e S_lip Ru_tg ers Slip M on t-go_m ery C lin to_n Je_ffe rso_n East River Dr. WEST VILLAGE TRIBECA FINANCIAL DISTRICT CHINATOWN LITTLE ITALY EAST VILLAGE SOHO LOWER EAST SIDE NOHO NOLITA GREENWICH VILLAGE ALPHABET CITY Tompkins Square Park East River Park Williamsburg Bridge Manhattan Bridge Brooklyn Br idge er 6 East River B R O O K L Y N East River ll d on ne E. 14th St E. 12th St. Ave. A Allen Essex Essex Ludlow Orchard Canal Broome Grand E. Houston

StantonNorfolk Suffolk Pitt

Ave. D

Ave. C

E. 15th St.

Ave. B

Clinton Attorney Ridge

Baruch Pl. Mangin Szold Pl. Columbia E. Broadway Monroe South Water Cherry Market Bialy-stoker New FDR Dr. Delancey Jackson Gouverneur Gouv Slip Front Water A Kazan Lewis Cherry Willet Rutgers Pike Pike Slip Rutgers Slip Mont-gomery Clinton Jefferson East River Dr. M M LOWER EAST SIDE ALPHABET CITY 11 12 Brooklyn Bridge 12 Circle Line 3 Ellis Island Ferries 9 Lower East Side Tenement Museum 11 Museum of Jewish Heritage— A Living Memorial to the Holocaust 8 New York Stock Exchange 5 Pier 17 2

South Street Seaport & Museum 1 Staten Island Ferry 10 Statue of Liberty Ferries 9 TKTS Booth 7

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124 The Pond The Pond Lincoln Tunnel Queens-Midtown Tunnel Penn Station/ Madison Square Garden Chelsea Park C h e l s e_a P i e r s Empire State Bldg. Grand Central Terminal New York Public Library Javits Convention Center Port Authority TIMES SQUARE Bryant Park DeWitt Clinton Park Queens–Midtown Tunnel Madison Square Park Gramercy Park Union Square Rockefeller Center To Upper Level From Lower Level

Roosevelt Island Tram Queensboro Bridge Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village United Nations Tunnel Entrance Tunnel Entrance Tunnel Exit Lincoln Center Columbus Circle E a st R iv er H u d so n R iv er C E N T R A L P A R K Q U E E N S R OO SE VE L T IS LA ND Third Ave. E. 54th St. E. 52nd St. E. 51st St. E. 53rd St. E. 48th St E. 49th St. E. 43rd St. E. 44th St. E. 46th St. E. 45th St. E. 41st St. E. 42nd St. E. 57th St. E. 56th St. E. 55th St. E. 59th St. E. 60th St. E. 61st St. E. 62nd St. E. 63rd St. E. 64th St. E. 65th St. E. 66th St. E. 67th St. E. 58th St. C e n te r D ri ve W est_Drive E a st_D riv_e Sutton Pl. South York Ave. Central Park S. Fifth Ave. Central Park S. Madison Ave. . t S h t 5 6 _Transverse

Sixth Ave. (Ave. of the Americ

as)

Fifth Ave. _{Madison Ave.}

Vanderbilt Ave.

Park Ave.

Lexington Ave.

Second Ave. First Ave.

Sutton Pl. Mitchell Place Beekman Place A ve_C E. 50th St. E. 47th St. E. 40th St. E. 39th St. E. 38th St. E. 32nd St. E. 33rd St. E. 35th St. E. 34th St. E. 31st St. E. 27th St. E. 28th St. E. 30th St. E. 29th St. E. 26th St. E. 25th St. E. 24th St. E. 22nd St. E. 21st St. E. 20th St. E. 19th St. E. 18th St. E. 17th St. E. 16th St. E. 15th St. Asser Levy Pl. E. 23rd St. First Ave. FD R Dri ve

Fifth Ave. Madison Ave.

Lexington Ave. Second Ave. E 36th St. E 37th St. W 32nd St. B ro ad_w ay W. 27th St. W. 16th St. W. 17th St. W. 15th St. W. 14th St. W. 13th St. E. 14th St. E. 13th St. Union Sq. W. Union Sq. E. Park Ave. S. Irving Pl. N.D. Perlman Pl. Ninth Ave. Seventh Ave. Eighth Ave. S ix th A ve . (A ve . o f th e A m e ri ca s) Fifth Ave. W. 54th St. W. 50th St. W. 51st St. W. 53rd St. W. 52nd St. W. 46th St. W. 47th St. W. 49th St. W. 48th St. W. 44th St. W. 43rd St. W. 45th St. W. 40th St. W. 42nd St. W. 41st St. W. 57th St. W. 56th St. W. 55th St. W. 39th St. W. 37th St. W. 36th St. W. 38th St. W. 35th St. W. 33rd St. W e st S id e H w y. W. 34th St. W. 31st St. W. 30th St. W. 28th St. W. 29th St. W. 25th St. W. 26th St. W. 24th St. W. 20th St. W. 21st St. W. 18th St. W. 19th St. W. 23rd St. W. 22nd St. Eleventh Ave. Tenth Ave.

Tenth Ave. Ninth Ave. Eighth Ave. Seventh Ave. Eleventh Ave. Twelfth Ave. W. 59th St. W. 60th St. W. 61st St. W. 62nd St. W. 63rd St. W. 64th St. W. 65th St. W. 66th St. W. 67th St. W. 58th St. Amsterdam Ave.

West End Ave.

Ninth Ave. Tenth Ave. W 32nd St. B ro_a d w ay Central Park W. Columbus Ave. CHELSEA THEATER DISTRICT UPPER WEST SIDE UPPER EAST SIDE MIDTOWN WEST GARMENT DISTRICT GRAMERCY PARK FLATIRON DISTRICT MURRAY HILL MIDTOWN EAST MEAT-PACKING DISTRICT The Pond Lincoln Tunnel Penn Station/ Madison Square Garden Chelsea Park C h e l s e_a P i e r s Javits Convention Center Port Authority TIMES SQUARE DeWitt Clinton Park Tunnel Entrance Lincoln Center Columbus Circle H u d so n R iv er C E N T R A L C e n te r D ri ve W est_Drive Central Park S. . t S h t 5 6 W 32nd St. W. 27th St. W. 16th St. W. 17th St. W. 15th St. W. 14th St. W. 13th St. Ninth Ave. Seventh Ave. Eighth Ave. W. 54th St. W. 50th St. W. 51st St. W. 53rd St. W. 52nd St. W. 46th St. W. 47th St. W. 49th St. W. 48th St. W. 44th St. W. 43rd St. W. 45th St. W. 40th St. W. 42nd St. W. 41st St. W. 57th St. W. 56th St. W. 55th St. W. 39th St. W. 37th St. W. 36th St. W. 38th St. W. 35th St. W. 33rd St.

West Side Hwy.

W. 34th St. W. 31st St. W. 30th St. W. 28th St. W. 29th St. W. 25th St. W. 26th St. W. 24th St. W. 20th St. W. 21st St. W. 18th St. W. 19th St. W. 23rd St. W. 22nd St. Eleventh Ave. Tenth Ave.

West End Ave.

Ninth Ave. Tenth Ave. W 32nd St. B ro_a d w ay Central Park W. Columbus Ave. CHELSEA THEATER DISTRICT UPPER WEST SIDE MIDTOWN WEST GARMENT DISTRICT MEAT-PACKING DISTRICT M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M 2 3 4 1 Carnegie Hall 2

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The Pond The Pond Lincoln Tunnel Queens-Midtown Tunnel Penn Station/ Madison Square Garden Chelsea Park C h e l s e_a P i e r s Empire State Bldg. Grand Central Terminal New York Public Library Javits Convention Center Port Authority TIMES SQUARE Bryant Park DeWitt Clinton Park Queens–Midtown Tunnel Madison Square Park Gramercy Park Union Square Rockefeller Center To Upper Level From Lower Level

Roosevelt Island Tram Queensboro Bridge Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village United Nations Tunnel Entrance Tunnel Entrance Tunnel Exit Lincoln Center Columbus Circle E a st R iv er H u d so n R iv er C E N T R A L P A R K Q U E E N S R OO SE VE L T IS LA ND Third Ave. E. 54th St. E. 52nd St. E. 51st St. E. 53rd St. E. 48th St E. 49th St. E. 43rd St. E. 44th St. E. 46th St. E. 45th St. E. 41st St. E. 42nd St. E. 57th St. E. 56th St. E. 55th St. E. 59th St. E. 60th St. E. 61st St. E. 62nd St. E. 63rd St. E. 64th St. E. 65th St. E. 66th St. E. 67th St. E. 58th St. C e n te r D ri ve W est_Drive E a st_D riv_e Sutton Pl. South York Ave. Central Park S. Fifth Ave. Central Park S. Madison Ave. . t S h t 5 6 _Transverse

Sixth Ave. (Ave. of the Americ

as)

Vanderbilt Ave.

Park Ave.

Lexington Ave.

Sutton Pl. Mitchell Place Beekman Place A ve_C E. 50th St. E. 47th St. E. 40th St. E. 39th St. E. 38th St. E. 32nd St. E. 33rd St. E. 35th St. E. 34th St. E. 31st St. E. 27th St. E. 28th St. E. 30th St. E. 29th St. E. 26th St. E. 25th St. E. 24th St. E. 22nd St. E. 21st St. E. 20th St. E. 19th St. E. 18th St. E. 17th St. E. 16th St. E. 15th St. Asser Levy Pl. E. 23rd St. First Ave. FD R Dri ve

Lexington Ave. Second Ave. E 36th St. E 37th St. W 32nd St. B ro ad_w ay W. 27th St. W. 16th St. W. 17th St. W. 15th St. W. 14th St. W. 13th St. E. 14th St. E. 13th St. Union Sq. W. Union Sq. E. Park Ave. S. Irving Pl. N.D. Perlman Pl. Ninth Ave. Seventh Ave. Eighth Ave. S ix th A ve . (A ve . o f th e A m e ri ca s) Fifth Ave. W. 54th St. W. 50th St. W. 51st St. W. 53rd St. W. 52nd St. W. 46th St. W. 47th St. W. 49th St. W. 48th St. W. 44th St. W. 43rd St. W. 45th St. W. 40th St. W. 42nd St. W. 41st St. W. 57th St. W. 56th St. W. 55th St. W. 39th St. W. 37th St. W. 36th St. W. 38th St. W. 35th St. W. 33rd St. W e st S id e H w y. W. 34th St. W. 31st St. W. 30th St. W. 28th St. W. 29th St. W. 25th St. W. 26th St. W. 24th St. W. 20th St. W. 21st St. W. 18th St. W. 19th St. W. 23rd St. W. 22nd St.

Eleventh Ave. Tenth Ave.

West End Ave.

Ninth Ave. Tenth Ave. W 32nd St. B ro_a d w ay Central Park W. Columbus Ave. CHELSEA THEATER DISTRICT UPPER WEST SIDE UPPER EAST SIDE MIDTOWN WEST GARMENT DISTRICT GRAMERCY PARK FLATIRON DISTRICT MURRAY HILL MIDTOWN EAST MEAT-PACKING DISTRICT The The Pond Pond The Pond Queens-Midtown Tunnel Empire State Bldg. Grand Central Terminal New York Public Library Bryant Park Queens–Midtown Tunnel Madison Square Park Gramercy Park Union Square Rockefeller Center To Upper Level From Lower Level

Roosevelt Island Tram Queensboro Bridge Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village United Nations Tunnel Entrance Tunnel Exit E a st R iv er L P A R K QUEENS ROOSEVELT ISLAND Third Ave. E. 54th St. E. 52nd St. E. 51st St. E. 53rd St. E. 48th St E. 49th St. E. 43rd St. E. 44th St. E. 46th St. E. 45th St. E. 41st St. E. 42nd St. E. 57th St. E. 56th St. E. 55th St. E. 59th St. E. 60th St. E. 61st St. E. 62nd St. E. 63rd St. E. 64th St. E. 65th St. E. 66th St. E. 58th St. C e n te r D ri ve E a st_D riv_e Sutton Pl. South York Ave. Fifth Ave. Central Park S. Madison Ave. . t Transverse

Sixth Ave. (Ave. of the Americas)

Vanderbilt Ave.

Park Ave.

Lexington Ave.

Sutton Pl. Mitchell Place Beekman Place Ave C E. 50th St. E. 47th St. E. 40th St. E. 39th St. E. 38th St. E. 32nd St. E. 33rd St. E. 35th St. E. 34th St. E. 31st St. E. 27th St. E. 28th St. E. 30th St. E. 29th St. E. 26th St. E. 25th St. E. 24th St. E. 22nd St. E. 21st St. E. 20th St. E. 19th St. E. 18th St. E. 17th St. E. 16th St. E. 15th St. Asser Levy Pl. E. 23rd St. First Ave. FDR Drive

Lexington Ave. Second Ave. E 36th St. E 37th St. St. Broadway E. 14th St. E. 13th St. Union Sq. W. Union Sq. E. Park Ave. S. Irving Pl. N.D. Perlman Pl.

Sixth Ave. (Ave. of the

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126 CARL SCHURZ PARK The The Lake Lake T h e R e s e r v o i r Fifth Ave. W A R D ’ S I S L A N D R O O S E V E L T I S L A N D American Museum American Museum of Natural History of Natural History Lincoln Lincoln Center Center Metropolitan Museum of Art T h e G G r e a t L a w n Wollman Rink Central Park Zoo Columbus Circle Columbus Circle

Roosevelt Island Tram Queensboro Bridge Ward’s Island Footbridge

RIVERSIDE PARKR IV E R S ID E P A R K C E N T R A L C E N T R A L CARL SCHURZ PARK UPPER EAST SIDE WARD’S ISLAND PARK Sheep Sheep Meadow Meadow UPPER WEST UPPER WEST SIDE SIDE Hudson RiverH u d so n R iv e r E ast R iv er Mount Sinai Hospital To Upper Level From Lower Level P A R K M U S E U M M I L E HARLEM HARLEM Broadw ay B ro_a d w a_y

Amsterdam Ave.Amsterdam Ave.

Columbus AveColumbus Ave

W. 78th St. W. 78th St. W. 77th St. W. 77th St. W. 76th St. W. 76th St. W. 72nd St. W. 72nd St. W. 73rd St. W. 73rd St. W. 75th St. W. 75th St. W. 74th St. W. 74th St. W. 71st St. W. 71st St. W. 67th St. W. 67th St. W. 68th St. W. 68th St. W. 70th St. W. 70th St. W. 69th St. W. 69th St. W. 66th St. W. 66th St. W. 65th St. W. 65th St. W. 62nd St. W. 62nd St. Freedom Pl. F re e d o m P l. W. 61st St. W. 61st St.

Amsterdam Ave.Amsterdam Ave.

West End Ave.West End Ave.

W. 60th St. W. 60th St. W. 59th St. W. 59th St.

Henry Hudson ParkwayHenry Hudson Parkway

W. 63rd St. W. 63rd St. W. 64th St. W. 64th St.

Central Park W.Central Park W.

W. 87th St. W. 87th St. W. 88th St. W. 88th St. W. 85th St. W. 85th St. W. 84th St. W. 84th St. W. 86th St. W. 86th St. W. 80th St. W. 80th St. W. 81st St. W. 81st St. W. 83rd St. W. 83rd St. W. 82nd St. W. 82nd St. W. 79th St. W. 79th St.

R ive rsid eD r. . t S h t 6 8 . t S h t 9 7

Columbus Ave.Columbus Ave.

Central Central Park South Park South 65th St. BroadwayBroadway

Amsterdam Ave.Amsterdam Ave. Columbus Ave.Columbus Ave.

Manhattan Ave.Manhattan Ave.

W. 95th St. W. 95th St. W. 91st St. W. 91st St. W. 92nd St. W. 92nd St. W. 94th St. W. 94th St. W. 93rd St. W. 93rd St. W. 90th St. W. 90th St. W. 89th St. W. 89th St. W. 98th St. W. 98th St. W. 97th St. W. 97th St. W. 96th St. W. 96th St. W. 100th St. W. 100th St. W. 101st St. W. 101st St. W. 102nd St. W. 102nd St. W. 103rd St. W. 103rd St. W. 104th St. W. 104th St. W. 105th St. W. 105th St. W. 106th St.

W. 106th St. Duke Ellington Blvd.Duke Ellington Blvd.

W. 99th St. W. 99th St.

Henry Hudson ParkwayHenry Hudson Parkway

Riv ers ide Dr.

Madison Ave. Park Ave. Lexington Ave. Third Ave. Second Ave.

First Ave. E. 95th St. E. 91st St. E. 92nd St. E. 94th St. E. 93rd St. E. 90th St. E. 89th St. E. 97th St. E. 96th St. E. 100th St. E. 101st St. E. 102nd St. E. 103rd St. E. 104th St. E. 105th St. E. 106th St. E. 99th St. E. 98th St.

Third Ave. Second Ave. E. 87th St. E. 88th St. E. 85th St. E. 84th St. E. 86th St. E. 80th St. E. 81st St. E. 83rd St. E. 82nd St. E. 78th St. E. 77th St. E. 79th St. E. 76th St. E. 72nd St. E. 73rd St. E. 75th St. E. 74th St. E. 71st St. E. 70th St. E. 69th St. Fifth Ave.

Madison Ave. Park Ave. Lexington Ave.

Sutton Pl. York Ave. F D R D r. First Ave.

Central Park South

York Ave. East End Ave.

E. 67th St. E. 68th St. E. 66th St. E. 65th St. E. 62nd St. E. 61st St. E. 60th St. E. 59th St. E. 63rd St. E. 64th St. FDR Dr. Transver_se Transverse Transverse The Lake American Museum of Natural History Lincoln Center G Columbus Circle RIVERSIDE PARK C E N T R A L Sheep Meadow UPPER WEST SIDE Hudson River HARLEM Broadw ay Amsterdam Ave. Columbus Ave W. 78th St. W. 77th St. W. 76th St. W. 72nd St. W. 73rd St. W. 75th St. W. 74th St. W. 71st St. W. 67th St. W. 68th St. W. 70th St. W. 69th St. W. 66th St. W. 65th St. W. 62nd St. Freedom Pl. W. 61st St. Amsterdam Ave.

West End Ave.

Henry Hudson Parkway

W. 63rd St. W. 64th St. Central Park W. W. 87th St. W. 88th St. W. 85th St. W. 84th St. W. 86th St. W. 80th St. W. 81st St. W. 83rd St. W. 82nd St. W. 79th St. Central Park W.

West End Ave.

R ive rsid eD r. . t S h t 6 8 . t S h t 9 7 Columbus Ave. Central Park South 65th St. Broadway

Amsterdam Ave. Columbus Ave.

Manhattan Ave. Central Park W. W. 95th St. W. 91st St. W. 92nd St. W. 94th St. W. 93rd St. W. 90th St. W. 89th St. W. 98th St. W. 97th St. W. 96th St. W. 100th St. W. 101st St. W. 102nd St. W. 103rd St. W. 104th St. W. 105th St. W. 106th St. Duke Ellington Blvd. W. 99th St.

West End Ave.

Riv ers ide Dr. T M M M M M M M M M M M M MSubway stop 3 2 4 5 1 American Museum of Natural History 3 Cathedral of St. John the Divine 1 Central Park Zoo 15 Children’s Museum 2 Cooper–Hewitt

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CARL SCHURZ CARL SCHURZ PARK PARK The Lake T h e T h e R e s e r v o i r R e s e r v o i r

Fifth Ave.Fifth Ave.

W A R D W A R D ’ S I S L A N D I S L A N D ROOSEVELT ISLANDR O O S E V E L T I S L A N D American Museum of Natural History Lincoln Center Metropolitan Metropolitan Museum of Art Museum of Art T h e T h e G r e a t G r e a t L a w n L a w n Wollman Wollman Rink Rink Central Central Park Park Zoo Zoo Columbus Circle

Roosevelt Island Tram Roosevelt Island Tram Queensboro Bridge Queensboro Bridge Ward

Ward’s Island Footbridges Island Footbridge

R IV E R S ID E P A R K L C E N T R A L CARL SCHURZ CARL SCHURZ PARK PARK UPPER EAST UPPER EAST SIDE SIDE WARD WARD’S ISLANDS ISLAND

PARK PARK Sheep w Meadow UPPER WEST SIDE H u d so n R iv e r East RiverE ast R iv er Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Hospital Hospital To To UpperUpper LevelLevel

From Lower From Lower

LevelLevel P A R K P A R K MUSEUM MILEM U S E U M M I L E HARLEM B ro_a d w a_y Amsterdam Ave. Columbus Ave W. 78th St. W. 77th St. W. 76th St. W. 72nd St. W. 73rd St. W. 75th St. W. 74th St. W. 71st St. W. 67th St. W. 68th St. W. 70th St. W. 69th St. W. 66th St. W. 65th St. W. 62nd St. F re e d o m P l. W. 61st St. Amsterdam Ave.

West End Ave.

W. 63rd St. W. 64th St. Central Park W. W. 87th St. W. 88th St. W. 85th St. W. 84th St. W. 86th St. W. 80th St. W. 81st St. W. 83rd St. W. 82nd St. W. 79th St. Central Park W.

West End Ave.

R ive rsid eD r. . t S h t 6 8 . t S h t 9 7 Columbus Ave. Central Park South 65th St. Broadway

Amsterdam Ave. Columbus Ave.

Manhattan Ave. Central Park W. W. 95th St. W. 91st St. W. 92nd St. W. 94th St. W. 93rd St. W. 90th St. W. 89th St. W. 98th St. W. 97th St. W. 96th St. W. 100th St. W. 101st St. W. 102nd St. W. 103rd St. W. 104th St. W. 105th St. W. 106th St. Duke Ellington Blvd. W. 99th St.

West End Ave.

Riv ers ide Dr.

Madison Ave.Madison Ave. Park Ave.Park Ave. Lexington Ave.Lexington Ave. Third Ave.Third Ave. Second Ave.Second Ave.

First Ave.First Ave.

E. 95th St. E. 95th St. E. 91st St. E. 91st St. E. 92nd St. E. 92nd St. E. 94th St. E. 94th St. E. 93rd St. E. 93rd St. E. 90th St. E. 90th St. E. 89th St. E. 89th St. E. 97th St. E. 97th St. E. 96th St. E. 96th St. E. 100th St. E. 100th St. E. 101st St. E. 101st St. E. 102nd St. E. 102nd St. E. 103rd E. 103rd St. St. E. 104th St. E. 104th St. E. 105th St. E. 105th St. E. 106th St. E. 106th St. E. 99th St. E. 99th St. E. 98th St. E. 98th St.

Third Ave.Third Ave. Second Ave.Second Ave. E. 87th St. E. 87th St. E. 88th St. E. 88th St. E. 85th St. E. 85th St. E. 84th St. E. 84th St. E. 86th St. E. 86th St. E. 80th St. E. 80th St. E. 81st St. E. 81st St. E. 83rd St. E. 83rd St. E. 82nd St. E. 82nd St. E. 78th St. E. 78th St. E. 77th St. E. 77th St. E. 79th St. E. 79th St. E. 76th St. E. 76th St. E. 72nd St. E. 72nd St. E. 73rd St. E. 73rd St. E. 75th St. E. 75th St. E. 74th St. E. 74th St. E. 71st St. E. 71st St. E. 70th St. E. 70th St. E. 69th St. E. 69th St.

Fifth Ave.Fifth Ave.

Madison Ave.Madison Ave. Park Ave.Park Ave. Lexington Ave.Lexington Ave.

SuttonSutton Pl. Pl.

York Ave.York Ave.

FDR Dr.F

D

R D

r.

First Ave.First Ave.

Central Park South Central Park South

York Ave.York Ave. East End Ave.East End Ave.

E. 67th St. E. 67th St. E. 68th St. E. 68th St. E. 66th St. E. 66th St. E. 65th St. E. 65th St. E. 62nd St. E. 62nd St. E. 61st St. E. 61st St. E. 60th St. E. 60th St. E. 59th St. E. 59th St. E. 63rd St. E. 63rd St. E. 64th St. E. 64th St. FDR Dr. Transver_se Transverse Transverse T h e R e s e r v o i r Fifth Ave. W A R D ’ S I S L A N D ROOSEVELT ISLAND Metropolitan Museum of Art T h e G r e a t L a w n Wollman Rink Central Park Zoo

Roosevelt Island Tram Queensboro Bridge Ward’s Island Footbridge

L CARL SCHURZ PARK UPPER EAST SIDE WARD’S ISLAND PARK w East River Mount Sinai Hospital To Upper Level From Lower Level P A R K MUSEUM MILE . t . t t.

Madison Ave. Park Ave. Lexington Ave. Third Ave. Second Ave.

First Ave. E. 95th St. E. 91st St. E. 92nd St. E. 94th St. E. 93rd St. E. 90th St. E. 89th St. E. 97th St. E. 96th St. E. 100th St. E. 101st St. E. 102nd St. E. 103rd St. E. 104th St. E. 105th St. E. 106th St. E. 99th St. E. 98th St.

Third Ave. Second Ave. E. 87th St. E. 88th St. E. 85th St. E. 84th St. E. 86th St. E. 80th St. E. 81st St. E. 83rd St. E. 82nd St. E. 78th St. E. 77th St. E. 79th St. E. 76th St. E. 72nd St. E. 73rd St. E. 75th St. E. 74th St. E. 71st St. E. 70th St. E. 69th St. Fifth Ave.

Madison Ave. Park Ave. Lexington Ave.

Sutton Pl.

York Ave.

FDR Dr.

First Ave.

Central Park South

York Ave. East End Ave.

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seized the city during the late 19th century. Walk across the bridge and imagine the awe that New Yorkers of that age felt at seeing two boroughs joined by this monumental span. It’s still astounding; walking the Brooklyn Bridge is one of my all-time favorite New York activities, although there’s no doubt that the Lower Manhattan views from the bridge now have a painful resonance as well as a joy-ous spirit.

There’s a sidewalk entrance on Park Row, just across from City Hall Park (take the 4, 5, or 6 train to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall). But why do this walk away from Manhattan, toward the far less impressive Brooklyn skyline? Instead, for Manhattan skyline views, take an A or C train to High Street, one stop into Brooklyn. Come above ground, then walk through the little park to Cadman Plaza East and head downslope (left) to the stairwell that will take you up to the footpath. It’s a 20- to 40-minute stroll over the bridge to Manhattan, depending on your pace. The footpath will deposit you right at City Hall Park.

Tasty tips: Pizza at Grimaldi’s (see “Pizza New York–Style,” on p. 103) and ice cream at Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory (& 718/246-3963), located at the Fulton Ferry Fire Boat House on the river and in the shadow of the bridge, will fortify you for your return stroll into Manhattan.

Subway: A, C to High St.; 4, 5, 6 to Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall.

Ellis Island One of New York’s most moving sights, the

restored Ellis Island opened in 1990, slightly north of Liberty Island. Roughly 40% of Americans (myself included) can trace their heritage back to an ancestor who came through here. For the 62 years when it was America’s main entry point for immigrants (1892–1954), Ellis Island processed some 12 million people. The greeting was often brusque—especially in the early years of the cen-tury, until 1924, when as many as 12,000 came through in a single day. The statistics can be overwhelming, but the Immigration Museum skillfully relates the story of Ellis Island and immigration in America by placing the emphasis on personal experience.

It’s difficult to leave the museum unmoved. What might be the most poignant exhibit is “Treasures from Home,” 1,000 objects and photos donated by descendants of immigrants, including family heirlooms, religious articles, and rare clothing and jewelry. Outside, the American Immigrant Wall of Honor commemorates the names of more than 500,000 immigrants and their families, from Myles

C H A P T E R 5 . E X P L O R I N G N E W Y O R K C I T Y

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Standish and George Washington’s great-grandfather to the forefa-thers of John F. Kennedy, Jay Leno, and Barbra Streisand. You can even research your own family’s history at the interactive American Family Immigration History Center.

Touring tips: Ferries run daily to Ellis Island and Liberty Island from Battery Park and Liberty State Park at frequent intervals; see the Statue of Liberty listing (p. 135) for details.

In New York Harbor.&212/363-3200 (general info), or 212/269-5755 (ticket/ferry

info). www.nps.gov/elis or www.ellisisland.org. Free admission (ferry ticket charge). Daily 9:30am–5:15pm (last ferry departs around 3:30pm). For subway and ferry details, see the Statue of Liberty listing on p. 135 (ferry trip includes stops at both sights).

Empire State Building It took 60,000 tons of steel, 10

million bricks, 2.5 million feet (750,000m) of electrical wire, 120 miles (193km) of pipe, and 7 million man-hours to build. King Kong climbed it in 1933. A plane slammed into it in 1945. The World Trade Center superseded it in 1970 as the island’s tallest building. And in 1997, a gunman ascended it to stage a deadly shooting. On that horrific day of September 11, 2001, it once again regained its sta-tus as New York City’s tallest building, after 31 years of taking second place. And through it all, the Empire State Building has remained one of the city’s favorite landmarks, and its signature high-rise. Completed in 1931, the limestone-and-stainless-steel, streamline deco dazzler climbs 102 stories (1,454 ft./436m) and now harbors the offices of fashion firms, and, in its upper reaches, a jumble of high-tech broad-cast equipment.

Always a conversation piece, the Empire State Building glows every night, bathed in colored floodlights to commemorate events of significance (you can find a complete lighting schedule online). The familiar silver spire can be seen from all over the city, but the views that keep nearly 3 million visitors coming every year are the ones from the 86th- and 102nd-floor observatories. The lower one is best—you can walk out on a windy deck and look through coin-operated viewers (bring quarters!) over what, on a clear day, can be as much as an 80-mile (129km) visible radius. The higher observa-tion deck is glass-enclosed and cramped. Consider going in the morning, when the light is still low on the horizon, keeping glare to a minimum. Starry nights are pure magic.

350 Fifth Ave. (at 34th St.).& 212/736-3100. www.esbnyc.com. Observatory

admission $10 adults, $9 seniors and children 12–17, $4 children 6–11, free for chil-dren 5 and under. Mon–Fri 10am–midnight; Sat–Sun 9:30am–midnight; tickets sold until 11:25pm. Subway: B, D, F, N, R, V, Q, W to 34th St.; 6 to 33rd St.

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Grand Central Terminal After more than 2 years under tarps and $175 million, Grand Central Terminal was reborn on October 1, 1998, as one of the most magnificent public spaces in the country. The restoration has reanimated the genius of the sta-tion’s original intent: to inspire those who pass through this urban meeting point with lofty feelings of civic pride and appreciation for Western architectural traditions. In short, they’ve put the “grand” back into Grand Central.

By all means, come and visit, even if you’re not catching one of the subway lines or Metro North commuter trains that rumble through the bowels of this great place. And even if you arrive and leave by subway, be sure to exit the station, walking a couple of blocks south, to about 40th Street, before you turn around to admire Jules-Alexis Coutan’s neoclassical sculpture Transportation hovering over the south entrance, with a majestically buff Mercury, the Roman god of commerce and travel, as its central figure.

This dramatic beaux arts splendor serves as a hub of social activ-ity as well. Excellent-qualactiv-ity retail shops and restaurants have taken over the mezzanine and lower levels. The highlights of the west mez-zanine are Michael Jordan’s–The Steak House, a gorgeous Art Deco space that allows you to dine within view of the sky ceiling (see “The Prime Cut,” on p. 107) as well as the gorgeously restored Campbell Apartment (p. 187), which serves cocktails. Off the main concourse at street level, there’s a nice mix of specialty shops and national retailers, as well as the truly grand Grand Central Market for gourmet foods. The New York Transit Museum Store, in the shuttle passage, houses city transit-related exhibitions and a terrific gift shop that’s worth a look for transit buffs. The lower dining concourse houses a stellar food court and the famous Oyster Bar & Restaurant (see chapter 4 for details on both).

42nd St. at Park Ave.&212/340-2210 (events hot line). www.grandcentralterminal.

com. Subway: S, 4, 5, 6, 7 to 42nd St./Grand Central.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Home of blockbuster

after blockbuster exhibition, the Metropolitan Museum of Art attracts some 5 million people a year, more than any other spot in New York City. And it’s no wonder—this place is magnificent. At 1.6 million square feet (150,000 sq. m), this is the largest museum in the Western Hemisphere. Nearly all the world’s cultures are on display through the ages—from Egyptian mummies to ancient

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Greek statuary to Islamic carvings to Renaissance paintings to Native American masks to 20th-century decorative arts—and mas-terpieces are the rule. You could go once a week for a lifetime and still find something new on each visit.

So unless you plan on spending your entire vacation in the museum (some people do), you cannot see the entire collection. My recommendation is to give it a good day—or better yet, 2 half days so you don’t burn out. One good way to get an overview is to take advantage of the little-known Museum Highlights Tour, offered every day at various times throughout the day (usually between 10:15am and 3:15pm; tours also offered in Spanish, Italian, Ger-man, and Korean).

The least overwhelming way to see the Met on your own is to pick up a map at the round desk in the entry hall and choose to con-centrate on what you like, whether it’s 17th-century paintings, American furniture, or the art of the South Pacific. Highlights include the American Wing’s Garden Court, with its 19th-century sculpture; the terrific ground-level Costume Hall; and the Frank Lloyd Wright room. The beautifully renovated Roman and Greek galleries are overwhelming, but in a marvelous way, as is the collec-tions of Byzantine Art and later Chinese art. The highlight of the astounding Egyptian collection is the Temple of Dendur, in a dra-matic, purpose-built glass-walled gallery with Central Park views. The Greek Galleries, which at last fully realize McKim, Mead & White’s grand neoclassical plans of 1917, and the Ancient Near East Galleries are particularly of note.

Fifth Ave. at 82nd St.&212/535-7710. www.metmuseum.org. Admission (includes

same-day entrance to the Cloisters) $12 adults, $7 seniors and students, free for chil-dren under 12 when accompanied by an adult. Sun and Tues–Thurs 9:30am–5:30pm; Fri–Sat 9:30am–9pm. No strollers allowed Sun (back carriers available at 81st St. entrance coat-check area). Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 86th St.

Museum of Modern Art/MoMA QNS The Museum of

Mod-ern Art (or MoMA, as it’s usually called) boasts the world’s greatest collection of painting and sculpture from the late 19th century to the present, including everything from Monet’s Water Lilies and Klimt’s

The Kiss to later masterworks by Frida Kahlo, Edward Hopper, Andy

Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and many others. If you’re into mod-ernism, this is the place to be.

MoMA will be closed while you’re in town. The museum is undergoing a monster $650 million renovation of its West 53rd Street building under the guidance of Japanese architect Yoshio

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Taniguchi that will double the exhibit space when the project is complete, which won’t be until 2005. The museum has opened tem-porary exhibit space called MoMA QNS in an old Swingline stapler factory in Long Island City, Queens. This is no flimsy venture: The 45,000-square-foot (4,181-sq.-m) gallery will exhibit highlights of the museum’s collection, including some of its biggest draws, among them van Gogh’s Starry Night, Picasso’s early Les Demoiselles

d’Avi-gnon, and Warhol’s Gold Marilyn Monroe. Workshops, a limited

program schedule, and special exhibitions will also be part of the fun: April through July of 2004 will feature a program on Photog-raphy, Fashion, and Film, while July through October there will be an exhibit on Landscape Design. Yes—it’s definitely worth a short subway ride to Queens; you can be here quicker than you can get to the Village.

45–20 33rd St., Long Island City, Queens.&212/708-9400. www.moma.org.

Admis-sion $12 adults, $8.50 seniors and students, free for children under 16 accompanied by an adult; pay what you wish Fri 4–7:45pm. Sat, Sun, Mon, Thurs 10am–5pm, Fri 10am–7:45pm.. Subway: 7 to 33rd St. (MoMA QNS is across the street).

Rockefeller Center Erected mainly in the 1930s

and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988, it’s now the world’s largest privately owned business-and-entertainment center, with 18 buildings on 21 acres.

For a dramatic approach to the entire complex, start at Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets. The builders purposely created the gentle slope of the Promenade, known here as the Channel Gar-dens because it’s flanked to the south by La Maison Française and to the north by the British Building (the Channel, get it?). The Prome-nade leads to the Lower Plaza, home to the famous ice-skating rink in winter (see next paragraph) and alfresco dining in summer in the shadow of Paul Manship’s freshly gilded bronze statue Prometheus.

The Rink at Rockefeller Center (&212/332-7654; www. rockefellercenter.com) is tiny but positively romantic, especially during the holidays, when the giant Christmas tree’s multicolored lights twinkle from above. The rink is open from mid-October to mid-March, and you’ll skate under the magnificent tree for the month of December.

The focal point of this “city within a city” is the GE Building , at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, a 70-story showpiece towering over the plaza. It’s still one of the city’s most impressive buildings; walk through for a look at the granite and marble lobby, lined with monumental sepia-toned murals by José Maria Sert.

Moments

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NBC television maintains studios throughout the complex.

Sat-urday Night Live and Late Night with Conan O’Brien originate in the

GE Building. NBC’s Today show is broadcast live on weekdays from 7 to 10am from the glass-enclosed studio on the southwest corner of 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza; come early if you want a visible spot, and bring your HI MOM! sign.

The 70-minute NBC Studio Tour (& 212/664-3700; www. nbcsuperstore.com) will take you behind the scenes at the Peacock network. The tour changes daily but may include the Today show,

NBC Nightly News, Dateline NBC, and/or Saturday Night Live sets.

Tickets are $17.50 for adults, $15 for seniors and children 6 to 16. You can reserve your tickets for either tour in advance (reservations are recommended) or buy them right up to tour time at the NBC Experience store, on Rockefeller Plaza at 49th Street. They also offer a 75-minute Rockefeller Center Tour, which is offered hourly every day between 10am and 4pm. $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and children 6 to 16; two-tour combination packages are available for $21.

The newly restored Radio City Music Hall , 1260 Sixth Ave., at 50th Street (&212/247-4777; www.radiocity.com), is perhaps the most impressive architectural feat of the complex. Designed by Donald Deskey and opened in 1932, it’s one of the largest indoor theaters, with 6,200 seats. But its true grandeur derives from its magnificent Art Deco appointments. The crowning touch is the stage’s great proscenium arch, which from the distant seats evokes a faraway sun setting on the horizon of the sea. The theater hosts the annual Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes. The illumi-nating 1-hour Stage Door Tour is offered Monday through Satur-day from 10am to 5pm, SunSatur-day from 11am to 5pm; tickets are $16 for adults, $10 for children under 12.

Between 48th and 50th sts., from Fifth to Sixth aves.&212/332-6868. www.

rockefellercenter.com. Subway: B, D, F, V to 47th–50th sts./Rockefeller Center.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum It’s been called a bun, a

snail, a concrete tornado, and even a giant wedding cake; bring your kids, and they’ll probably see it as New York’s coolest opportunity for skateboarding. Whatever description you choose to apply, Frank Lloyd Wright’s only New York building, completed in 1959, is best summed up as a brilliant work of architecture—so consistently bril-liant that it competes with the art for your attention. If you’re looking for the city’s best modern art, head to MoMA or the Whitney first; come to the Guggenheim to see the house.

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It’s easy to see the bulk of what’s on display in 2 to 4 hours. Inside, a spiraling rotunda circles over a slowly inclined ramp that leads you past changing exhibits that, in the past, have ranged from “The Art of the Motorcycle” to “Norman Rockwell: Pictures for the American People,” said to be the most comprehensive exhibit ever of the beloved painter’s works. Usually the progression is counterin-tuitive: from the first floor up, rather than from the sixth floor down. If you’re not sure, ask a guard before you begin. Permanent exhibits of 19th- and 20th-century art, including strong holdings of Kandinsky, Klee, Picasso, and French Impressionists, occupy a stark annex called the Tower Galleries, an addition accessible at every level that some critics claimed made the original look like a toilet bowl backed by a water tank (judge for yourself—I think there may be something to that view).

1071 Fifth Ave. (at 88th St.).&212/423-3500. www.guggenheim.org. Admission

$12 adults, $8.50 seniors and students, free for children under 12; pay what you wish Fri 6–8pm. Sat–Wed 10am–5:45pm; Fri 10am–8pm. Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 86th St.

Staten Island Ferry Here’s New York’s best freebie—

especially if you just want to glimpse the Statue of Liberty and not climb her steps. You get an enthralling hour-long excursion (round-trip) into the world’s biggest harbor. This is not strictly a sightseeing

Value

134

Roosevelt Island Tram

Want to impress your family and friends with a little-known but spectacular view of the New York skyline? Take them for a ride on the Roosevelt Island Tram (&212/832-4543, ext. 1). This is the same tram that King Kong “attacks” in the Univer-sal Studio Theme Park in Florida. The same tram you have probably seen in countless movies, most recently Spiderman. The Tram originates at 59th Street and Second Avenue, costs $1.50 each way, ($1.50 round-trip for seniors), and takes four minutes to traverse the East River to Roosevelt Island, where there are a series of apartment complexes and parks. During those four minutes you will be treated to a gorgeous panorama of the East River and the east side skyline with views of the United Nations and four bridges: the Queens-boro, Williamsburg, Manhattan, and the Brooklyn Bridge. The Tram operates daily from 6am until 2:30am and until 3:30am on weekends.

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ride but commuter transportation to and from Staten Island (remember Melanie Griffith, in big hair and sneakers, heading to the office in Working Girl?). As a result, during business hours, you’ll share the boat with working stiffs reading papers and drinking cof-fee inside, blissfully unaware of the sights outside.

You, however, should go on deck and enjoy the busy harbor traf-fic. The old orange-and-green boats usually have open decks along the sides or at the bow and stern; try to catch one of these boats if you can, since the newer white boats don’t have decks. Grab a seat on the right side of the boat for the best view. On the way out of Manhattan, you’ll pass the Statue of Liberty (the boat comes closest to Lady Liberty on the way to Staten Island), Ellis Island, and from the left side of the boat, Governor’s Island; you’ll see the Verrazano Narrows Bridge spanning the distance from Brooklyn to Staten Island in the distance.

There’s usually another boat waiting to depart for Manhattan. The skyline views are simply awesome on the return trip. Well worth the time spent.

Departs from the Whitehall Ferry Terminal at the southern tip of Manhattan.&718/ 815-BOAT. www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dot. Free admission ($3 for car transport on select

ferries). 24 hours; every 20–30 min. weekdays, less frequently on off-peak and week-end hours. Subway: N, R to Whitehall St.; 4, 5 to Bowling Green; 1, 9 to South Ferry (ride in the first 5 cars).

Statue of Liberty For the millions who first came by

ship to America in the last century—either as privileged tourists or needy, hopeful immigrants—Lady Liberty, standing in the Upper Bay, was their first glimpse of America. No monument so embodies the nation’s, and the world’s, notion of political freedom and eco-nomic potential. Even if you don’t make it out to Liberty Island, you can get a spine-tingling glimpse from Battery Park, from the New Jersey side of the bay, or during a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry (see above). It’s always reassuring to see her torch lighting the way.

She was designed by sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi with the engineering help of Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel (who was responsible for the famed Paris tower) and unveiled on October 28, 1886. Despite the fact that Joseph Pulitzer had to make a mighty effort to attract donations on this side of the Atlantic for her pedestal (designed by American Richard Morris Hunt), more than a million people watched as the French tricolor veil was pulled away. After nearly 100 years of wind, rain, and exposure to the harsh sea air, Lady Liberty received a resoundingly successful $150-million face-lift

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(including the relandscaping of Liberty Island and the replacement of the torch’s flame) in time for its centennial celebration on July 4, 1986. Touring tips: Ferries leave daily every half-hour to 45 minutes from 9am to about 3:30pm (their clock), with more frequent ferries in the morning and extended hours in summer. Try to go early on a weekday to avoid the crowds that swarm in the afternoon, on week-ends, and on holidays.

A stop at Ellis Island (p. 128) is included in the fare, but if you catch the last ferry, you can only visit the statue or Ellis Island, not both.

Note that you can buy ferry tickets in advance via www.statueof libertyferry.com, which will allow you to board the boat without standing in the sometimes-long ticket line; however, there is an addi-tional service charge attached. Even if you’ve already purchased tickets, arrive as much as 30 minutes before your desired ferry time to allow for increased security procedures prior to boarding the ferry. The ferry ride takes about 20 minutes.

Once on Liberty Island, you’ll start to get an idea of the statue’s immensity: She weighs 225 tons and measures 152 feet (46m) from foot to flame. Her nose alone is 41_⁄

2feet (1.25m) long, and her index

finger is 8 feet (2.5m) long.

Note: Access to the statue itself was severely restricted at this writing; I cannot recommend strongly enough that you call or check the official website (www.nps.gov/stli) for the latest access information.

If the statue does reopen to the public, you may have to wait as long as 3 hours to walk up into the crown. If it’s summer, or if you’re just not in shape for it, you may want to skip it: It’s a grueling 354 steps (the equivalent of 22 stories) to the crown, or you can cheat and take the elevator the first 10 stories up (a shortcut I wholeheartedly endorse). But even if you take the elevator to get started, the interior is stifling once the temperature starts to climb. However, you don’t have to go all the way up to the crown; there are a number of obser-vation decks at different levels, including one at the top of the pedestal that’s reachable by elevator. Even if you don’t go inside, a stroll around the base is a terrific experience, and the views of the Manhattan skyline are stellar.

On Liberty Island in New York Harbor.&212/363-3200 (general info), or

212/269-5755 (ticket/ferry info). www.nps.gov/stli or www.statueoflibertyferry.com. Free admission; ferry ticket to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island $10 adults, $8 seniors, $4 children 3–17. Daily 9am–5pm (last ferry departs around 4pm); extended hours in

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summer. Subway: 4, 5 to Bowling Green; 1, 9 to South Ferry. Walk south through Bat-tery Park to Castle Clinton, the fort housing the ferry ticket booth.

Wall Street & the New York Stock Exchange Wall Street—

it’s an iconic name, and the world’s prime hub for bulls and bears everywhere. This narrow 18th-century lane (you’ll be surprised at how little it is) is appropriately monumental, lined with neoclassical towers that reach as far skyward as the dreams and greed of investors who built it into the world’s most famous financial market.

At the heart of the action is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the world’s largest securities trader, where you can watch the billions change hands and get a fleeting idea of how the money mer-chants work. NYSE came into being in 1792, when mermer-chants met daily under a nearby buttonwood tree to try and pass off to each other the U.S. bonds that had been sold to fund the Revolutionary War. By 1903, they were trading stocks of publicly held companies in this Corinthian-columned beaux arts “temple” designed by George Post. About 3,000 companies are now listed on the exchange, trading nearly 314 billion shares valued at about $16 trillion.

20 Broad St. (btwn Wall St. and Exchange Place).&516 or

212/656-5168. www.nyse.com. Free admission. Mon–Fri 9am–4:30pm (ticket booth opens at 8:45am) for prearranged educational group tours. Subway: J, M, Z to Broad St.; 2, 3, 4, 5 to Wall St.

Whitney Museum of American Art What is arguably the

finest collection of 20th-century American art in the world is an imposing presence on Madison Avenue—an inverted three-tiered pyramid of concrete and gray granite with seven seemingly random windows designed by Marcel Breuer, a leader of the Bauhaus move-ment. The rotating permanent collection consists of an intelligent selection of major works by Edward Hopper, George Bellows, Geor-gia O’Keeffe, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns, and other significant artists. A pleasing second-floor exhibit space is devoted exclusively to works from its permanent collection from 1900 to 1950, while the rest of the space is dedicated to rotating exhibits.

Shows are usually all well curated and more edgy than what you’d see at MoMA or the Guggenheim. Topics range from topical sur-veys, such as “American Art in the Age of Technology” and “The Warhol Look: Glamour Style Fashion” to in-depth retrospectives of famous or lesser-known movements (such as Fluxus, the movement that spawned Yoko Ono, among others) and artists (Mark Rothko, Keith Haring, Duane Hanson, Bob Thompson). The next Whitney

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Biennial is scheduled for spring 2004; a major event on the national museum calendar, the Biennials serve as the premier launching pad for new American artists working on the vanguard in every media. Names of featured artists were not available at press time. Free gallery tours are offered daily, and music, screenings, and lectures fill the calendar.

945 Madison Ave. (at 75th St.).&877/WHITNEY or 212/570-3676. www.whitney.

org. Admission $12 adults, $9.50 seniors and students, free for children under 12; pay as you wish Fri 6–9pm. Tues–Thurs and Sat–Sun 11am–6pm; Fri 1–9pm. Sub-way: 6 to 77th St.

World Trade Center site (Ground Zero) The World Trade

Center dominated lower Manhattan. About 50,000 people worked in its precincts, and some 70,000 others (tourists and businesspeo-ple) visited each day. The vast complex included, in addition to two 110-story towers—one of which awarded visitors with breathtaking views from the Top of the World observation deck, more than 1,350 feet (405m) in the air—five additional buildings (including a Mar-riott hotel), a plaza the size of four football fields rich with outdoor sculpture, a vast underground shopping mall, and a full slate of restaurants, including the spectacular Windows on the World.

Then the first plane hit the north tower, Tower 1, at 8:45am on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. By 10:30am, it was all gone, along with nearly 3,000 innocent victims.

Clean-up and recovery efforts officially ended in May 2002. Later that summer Governor Pataki of New York, Governor McGreevy of New Jersey, and New York Mayor Bloomberg dedicated a viewing wall on the Church Street side of the site called the Wall of Heroes. On the wall are the names of those who lost their lives that day along with the history of the site including photos of the construction of the World Trade Center in the late 1960s and how, after it opened in 1972, it changed the New York skyline and downtown. Two years removed from the horrific events of that September day, a walk along the Wall of Heroes remains a painfully moving experience.

The future of the site is still in question. After a heated competi-tion where proposals by designers and architects were submitted, Daniel Libeskind’s vision of a towering spire and a memorial void was chosen. When and if that vision is ever realized is still very much up in the air.

Bounded by Church, Barclay, Liberty, and West sts.&212/484-1222. www.nycvisit.

com or www.southstseaport.org for viewing information; www.downtownny.com for Lower Manhattan area information and rebuilding updates. Subway: C, E to World Trade Center; N, R to Cortlandt St.

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2 More Manhattan Museums

DOWNTOWN SoHo remains colorful, if less edgy than it used to be, with the action centered around West Broadway and encroaching onto the edge of Chinatown of late. Start with Bronwyn Keenan, 3 Crosby St. (&212/431-5083), who’s known for a keen eye for spot-ting emerging talent; Peter Blum Gallery, 99 Wooster St. (&212/ 343-0441), who showcased the divine Kim Sooja, a Korean artist who uses traditional Korean bedcovers to comment on the promise of wed-ded bliss, in early 2002; Lehmann Maupin, 39 Greene St. (&212/ 965-0753), whose exhibitions run the gamut from young unknowns to contemporary masters like Ross Bleckner; O. K. Harris, 383 W. Broadway (& 212/431-3600; www.okharris.com), which shows a wide and fascinating variety of contemporary painting, sculpture, and photography; and Louis K. Meisel, 141 Prince St. (& 212/677-1340; www.meiselgallery.com), specializing in photorealism and American pinup art (yep, Petty and Vargas girls). In TriBeCa, try Cheryl Hazan Arts Gallery, 35 N. Moore St. (&212/343-8964; www.cherylhazanarts.com), or DFN Gallery, 176 Franklin St.

(& 212/334-3400; www.dfngallery.com), both of which focus on

fresh and distinctive contemporary art.

Children’s Museum of Manhattan Here’s a great place

to take the kids when they’re tired of being told not to touch. Designed for ages 2 to 12, this museum is strictly hands-on. Inter-active exhibits and activity centers encourage self-discovery—and a

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